Clint Hurdle insisted that the Pittsburgh Pirates did not get pumped up for big games. Hurdle, the Pirates’ manager, has preached a steady approach from the moment he took over nearly five years ago. April or September, it does not matter.
“It’s not like we have a big-series button when it’s shared with us that it’s a big series,” Hurdle said.
His streaking team seems to play as if it does.
Pedro Florimon scored on Starling Marte’s sacrifice fly in the eighth inning, and the host Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs, 5-4, in the first game of a day-night doubleheader on Tuesday.